Lighter casing construction



April 25, 1950 A. H. ARONSON LIGHTER CASING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 6, 1947 JNVENTOR.

N o 5 N o R H R E D N A J a W m m m E N w T T A Patented Apr. 25, 1950 LIGHTER o'As NG oonsrRUo'rIoN Alexander H. Aronson, South Orange, N. J., as-

signor to "Benson Art Metal Works, 1110., Newark, N J a corporation of New Jersey Application December 6, 1947, Serial No.,790,130

. 3 Claims. (CI. 67-71) 1 The invention relates to cigar lighters of the type employing a fuel containing casing into which a wick projects, and which are usually provided with a filling of absorbent material such as cotton by which the lighter fluid is carried and conducted to the wick. In lighters of the above type, access to the interior of the lighter casing is needed for replenishing the fuel supply, and it is also necessary at times to remove the absorbent filling if the wick becomes "dislodged from the wick tube or when a new wick is to be inserted. The primary object of the present invention is to provide a lighter casing construction which maybe readily manipulated to afford access to the interior fuel chamber for any of the above purposes, without requiring special tools or appliances, and which will still afford a sufl'icient seal against the evaporation of lighter fluid when the casing is closed. In a more specific aspect the invention aims to provide a casing construction as aforesaid, wherein the closure for the fuel chamber is so combined with the flint tube construction that the latter serves as a mounting for the closure, and access to the flint tube is afforded without disturbing the closure structure. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious and in part specifically referred to in the description hereinafter contained which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, discloses certain preferred lighter casing constructions capable of operatingin accordance with the invention; the disclosure however should be considered as merely illustrative of the invention in its broader as' pects. In the drawings: yf Fig. lis a side view with certain parts: on away, of a lighter having a casing constructed to operate in accordance with the invention, the closure for the casing being shown in fuel chamber sealing position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to the lower portion of Fig. 1 but showing the closure in fuel chamber exposing position.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the parts as they appear in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to the lower portion of Fig. 1, but showing a somewhat modified construction.

The invention is disclosed as applied to a cigar lighter having fuel casing I of general oval cross section, the fuel chamber within the casing being filled with absorbent material}. A fingerpiece 3, snuifer 4 and wick tube S are shown as mounted on the top of the casing, the wick tube enclosing the upper end of a wick 6 which extends down into the absorbent material 2, but the above parts of the lighter need not be described in detail since they may be assumed to be of any known or appropriate construction for igniting the upper end of the wick 6. I prefer to employ a flint tube I which projects down through the central portion of the fuel chamber and encloses a pressure spring 8. The latter may be adjusted by means of a screw 9 which engages within a threaded sleeve I0 fixed to the lower end of the flint tube I. In the form shown, a bracing piece I I extends between the flint tube 1 and the lower end of a casing I2 which receives the stem of fingerpiece 3.

In accordance with the present invention, the fuel casing I is provided with a charging opening which is normally covered and sealed bya closure plate I3, the latter being pressed into sealing relation with the portion of the casing which surrounds the charging opening, but the closure plate being so mounted that it can be drawn away by the user from its sealing position shown in Fig. 1, and twisted into the position shown in Figures 2 and 3, wherein it largely exposes and affords ready access to the interior of casing I. In the illustrated form of the invention, the lower rim I4 of the casing I, which surplate,- and the ring I5 being pressed into close engagement with the rim Id of easing I.

The closure plate I3 is shown as provided with a central internal hub I1 which surrounds the flint tube structure above described. A compression-spring I8 within this hub seats at its lower end against an annular flange I9 on the sleeve I0, and at its upper end against a packing washer 20 of neoprene or the like, the washer 2B in turn seating against the upper end wall of the hub II. This construction mounts the closure plate slidably and rotatably upon the flint tube structure, the packing ring 20 sealing the joint, and limits the extent to which the closure plate may be moved away from the fuel casing.

Thus'in the position shown in Fig. 1, the spring l8 resiliently presses the closure plate I3 into sealing relation with casing I, but the operator may grasp the closure plate in his fingers and move it outwardly from its sealing position, against the pressure of spring I8, whereupon the closure plate may be twisted into the crosswise position with respect to the casing which is shown in the Figs. 2 and 3, whereupon the closure plate may be released by the user and will be held in open position by spring l8. In this position the fuel chamber in casing I will be largely exposed, which simplifies the operation of adding fuel to the fuel chamber, and makes it easier for the userto observe when a proper amountof fuel hasibeen' -addedand absorbed bythe absorbent material in the difierent zones of the fuel chamber. Also this large exposure much facilitates the withdrawal of the absorbent material from the fuel chamber, and theproperrepacking of such material into the chambenfand-the adjustment or replacement-f the '-wick, -when necessary. To restore the closuret'plateitosealing relation, it is merelynecessary .to twist .it back into alinement with'the casing lan'd then release it so that the spring l8 fOI'CGS'thGZtWD parts into tight engagement. Access to the flint stubem'l .for:replacement1.of a flint may be hadeat ealltimes by adjustment. of screw 9-, withoutdisturbingthe closure structure.

.In Fig.4 .1. haveshown a somewhat-modified {construction wherein the sleeve lna-.of.the.;flint @tube :is provided with an annular flange l-9a :spaced inwardly from-the bottom wall of the casing so-as=to afiord an annular chamber between this flange and the. flint adjustmentscrew nilaand surrounded by thehub l'1a, .in which chamber-=a numberzof replacement flintsa2 I may be stored. The hub li -spring la and neoprene washer a, ofFig. 14,:and alsothe unnumbered .tparts therein maybe understood-as being similar in function to the correspondingly numbered:

:parts of Figs. .1- m3.

Whi-leitheinventi0n has been disclosed ascarried out'by lighter casings 'of the-abovedescribed :specific constructions, it should be understood what-changes may be made therein withoutide 1 parting from the inventioniniits broader aspects, iwithin the scope ofthe appended claims.

- I'Iclaim:

A lighterconstruction including a .fuelcasingfhaving a fuel chamber therein'andalso having one end thereof open, through which *end said :chamher :tmay be charged, sa :closure :plate 'overlying'saidopen end .to form-a closureiforasaid chamber, swivel 'means *tmounting :said "closure pla'tewith respect to said casing, said ."swiv'el "means including substantially coaxial iparts respective'ly fixed-with respect to said plate and 'casing a-r1d which are relatively rotatable and slidable one along the other "to afford m-ovement of saidclosure plate towar'd and from its cham- "ber "closing position and also rotary movement thereof outof alinement with said 'open-endof the *casingto expose said chamber,=and springmeans asting between the aforesaid parts tourge-said closure plate toward the casing structure in both of its chamber closing and chamber exposing positions.

2. A lighter casing construction including a fuel casing having a fuel chamber therein and also having one end thereof open through which end said chamber may be charged, a flint tube "structure within said casing and extending toward said open-Lend, a' closure plate overlying said open end to form a closure for said chamber, said iclosure plate being mounted upon said flint tube .structure to afford both angular and longitudinal movemento'f the closure plate with respect to said easing toiexpose-said chamber, spring means urging-said closure plate toward the casing struc- "diure in both-of itssaforesaid fuel chamber closing andfuel chamber exposing positions, said flint 'tube' structure including a flint adjusting mem- =ber;located substantially at the axis about which said closure plate is movable angularly as afore- .-.said,-said-adjusting member being accessible. from the exterior esiderof said closure plate.

- A: lighterconstruction including a fuel roas- --ing havinga fuel chamber therein .and :alsohaving one end thereof open, through which end said chamber may be charged, 'a closure plate overlying-said open end to form a closure for said chamber, swivel =means *mounting said closure plate with respect -.to said casing, -said swivel meansincludinga hub carried by -and" projecting -.inwardly fromrsaid closureplate, said casing carrying a post engaging said hub and with respect to :which; post-the closure plate structure is rela- ?tively rotatable and -:slidable to affordv movement iofsaidrclosure plate toward and from itstchamzber-lclosing position and also rotary movement thereof out ofalinement with said open endof the :rcasingto expose said chamber, and spring means urging said fclosureplatetoward. the casing structure in both of itschamber closing and chamber exposing positions.

:ALEXANDER'H. :ARONSON.

. REFERENCES .CITED The following references areof record in the file or this "patent:

I UNITED STATES .PA'TEN'I'S Number Germany r May 26,1931 

